Tok Mat calls for calm after Umno-PAS pact shaken by Hadi’s latest remarks

PETALING JAYA: Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan said that he would like to see the alliance forged with PAS in Muafakat Nasional (MN) continue and for it to be strengthened.

“Personally, I would like to see MN prevail and strengthened.

“However, the MN technical committee will look at the cooperation. For now, let us remain calm,” Berita Harian reported him as saying.

Mohamad was responding to a statement by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, in which the latter urged all Muslim groups to join PPBM and PAS in strengthening Perikatan Nasional (PN).

In a press conference later, he also called for PPBM to be included as a member of MN, citing a document which he said was signed by him and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Hadi said PAS also rejected a consensus that is divided and deviates from the original goals of MN.

However, PAS information chief Kamaruzaman Mohamad later clarified that Hadi’s statement did not mean the party was against the pact with Umno, but that the party was against any attempt to divide the ummah.

On allegations that Umno had split the Malays, Mohamad, better known as Tok Mat, said that the party had been uniting the people even before the country achieved independence.

He dismissed any notion that the party was dividing the Malays and Muslims.

“Our agenda has always been about uniting the rakyat.”